Nearly five years after Atwilda Brown died from severe injuries that she
sustained when her chenille bathrobe caught fire, the elderly woman’s
family is suing Blair LLC for her wrongful death. They are seeking $30 million.
The 80-year-old was making tea on February 12, 2005 when the tragic accident
caused by the defective clothing happened. She is one of nine people who
have died because a Blair chenille robe caught fire. Most of the victims
were elderly people. Three of the people who died were cooking when the
tragic burn accidents happened.

Brown’s daughter, Sharon Davis, says she wants more people to realize
how deadly the chenille robes have proven to be for wearers. Already,
Blair LLC has announced two recalls because the robes and other chenille
items do not meet federal flammability standards. This means that the
person wearing the robe and those nearby are at risk of burn injuries
if the wearer makes contact with an open flame.
A few weeks ago, the daughters of Evelyn and Murray Rogoff also sued Blair
LLC for their parents’ wrongful deaths. Last February, the sleeve
of Evelyn’s chenille robe caught fire while she was making tea.
Murray was also injured when he tried to help his wife.
Susan Brent says she heard her mother screaming and found her parents
on the floor. She used bottles of water to stop the fire but her mom had
already sustained serious arm, neck, and back injuries. Evelyn died six
weeks after the burn accident. Murray died from a heart attack in July.
Brent and her sister Michele Putini are seeking nearly $2 million for
products liability, which they are linking to their parents’ wrongful deaths.
Clothes are supposed to meet the US standards for flammability. While
all clothes are susceptible for catching fire, certain fabrics are more
susceptible to igniting faster than others, which can prove fatal to the
wearer. A clothes manufacturer can be held liable if a piece of clothing
proves to be a flammable hazard that causes serious burn injury or death
to its wearer.
Daughters: Company’s Defective Robe Caused Parents’ Deaths, 10News.com, October 29, 2009
Woman Blames Robe For Mother’s Death, Eyewitness News 3, October 27, 2009
Blair Expands Recall To All Women’s Chenille Apparel Due to Burn
Hazard; Additional Reported Deaths Prompt Re-Announcement of Robe Recall, CPSC, October 22, 2009
Related Web Resource:
Flammable Fabrics Act